Revealing AI use to donors: How to make it work

AI-generated “photos” have the potential to solve a lot of problems: No privacy issues. Being able to show things you can’t get a decent photo of. It can save time and money.

But are there anything downsides?

Maybe, says Market Smart, at Revealing AI use can hurt nonprofit results and relationships (unless you explain why).

The post reports on some experiments where nonprofits used AI-generated images. In one case, they labeled them as AI. Clicks dropped and attitudes toward the organization soured. But when they explained why they used AI — “to reduce costs and provide more help for children” — engagement was normal.

Conclusion:

If you disclose AI use, don’t stop there. Say why you used it. Tie it to mission or relationship. Make the reason concrete: lower costs, faster help, more services delivered.

Should you disclose AI use? My opinion: yes. It is unethical to pass off “fake” as “real.” But It appears that giving your rationale for using AI helps people be okay with it.

Here’s the original study: AI’s Hidden Price: AI Tools Reduce Donor Engagement Through Extrinsic Motivation Inferences.